Sick
by Harry Tomlinson
Summary: Sakura is very ill. Sasuke is the only one who can sustain her life.
1. Chapter 1

_She screamed in the darkness of night, warm liquid running down her side in a steady flow, her small, fragile hand attached to her hip. Her parents ran in as her cries continued, before she blacked out entirely, noises of pain slipping her mouth even while comatose. _

_They rushed their young daughter to the hospital, only to have her taken away by highly trained medical ninja and doctors. The corridors of the mostly empty hospital echoed with her screams of pain, hours and hours of screaming and endless cries._

_Then, she fell asleep. She slept through the day, and through the next night, and so on for 5 days. On the sixth day, she awoke, still slightly calmed from medication and lacking energy to move. He hip ached only slightly, yet she harbored no energy to move an inch._

Her parents were allowed to see her finally. A knock on the door, and a male voice asking for permission to enter, which she granted. In came 3 nurses, a doctor, and her parents. She was helped gently to sit up, leaning back into the pillows, lifted so she could sit up.

"Sakura, baby are you alright? What happened to her!?" Her father asked, the second question no where near as sweet.

"Um, this is very hard to tell you. Sakura is um. Her days are numbered." The doctor said. "We would've lost her last night, she got her in the nick of time."

"W-what do you mean, _her days are numbered?_ She's a child! Not even 4 years old!" Her mother exclaimed.

Sakura cringed in pain again, pulling herself into a tight ball and squeezing her eyes shut. Her hip felt as if it were being stabbed inside, from too many angles to count.

That's when a boy with blueish-blackish hair came running in, a curious look upon his round face.

"Is she okay?" He asked. "I thought the hospital was for sick people." He asked, walking up to her bed. "Do you feel yucky?" He asked. She whimpered.

"Excuse me, you're not supposed to be here little boy." A nurse said.

"Neither is she, shouldn't she be playing with dolls or something?" The boy asked. Obviously, he was not taking the hint to leave. Knowing from the fan on his back that his parents should arrive to pick him up soon, they continued with their conversation.

"Mr and Mrs Haruno, Sakura has a disease that proves fatal. I've only seen in once before, and doctors all over are struggling with the solution. It's such a rarity, that no ones been able to find a cure in time to heal the patient. I'd say, with regular appointments and if she does not partake in too many strenuous activity, she should consider herself lucky to make it to 14."

"Wait, she's gonna die?" The boy piped up, looking at the doctor. "She's too little. My grandma is here and she's old." The boy said. He climbed up onto the hospital bed and looked at Sakura in the eye.

"You, little girl, are too little to be bye-byed." He said. She jumped forward, collapsing on him. THe monitor she'd been hooked up to, that well, monitored her vitals, sped up at the contact.

Intrigued, the nurses and doctors stepped forward.

"What do you think?" One of the nurses asked. The doctor was hesitant, scanning what he saw on the machine. Her vitals jumped back to normal from their slow, low rate. And Sakura seemed to be as healthy as ever when she got near him.

"Sakura, would you mind if I tested something?" He asked. The young girl shook her head, having sat up. The boy's arms were wrapped around her, his chin resting on her shoulder.

"She seems healthy enough to me." He said, as another, older boy entered the room.

"Sasuke! What are you doing?" He exclaimed, running over to the boy.

"Nancy, Carol, it's getting crowded. Run the files on Mrs. Hanso and report them." The doctor sent two of the nurses out, before turning back.

"Nii-san! Sakura is sick." He said.

"Well she might be contagious! And don't you wanna see Nan?" The older boy asked.

"Yes, but she doesn't seem contagious." He said. "What does contagious mean?"

"It means you can get what she has by being near her!"

"Itachi! But she's better now!" He said.

"Actually, that's what I wanted to test. Sasuke, would you mind stepping outside for a minute?" Sasuke agreed, before putting Sakura off his lap and jumping off the bed.

After testing Sakura for 3 hours while Sasuke was gone she'd fallen back to yelping in pain, yet this time she begged for Sasuke to return to her. Before doctors allowed him to come close again, the nurse gave Sakura a needle, eerie blue-black liquid filling the vile. Having Sasuke return, he climbed onto the bed and took Sakura back into his lap, where her cries fell quiet again and she clung to him.

"Sasuke, can we see your arm please?" The nurse asked, poking him with a needle. He yelped, before giving her a dirty look.

"I'm not sick! Why'd I get a shot?" He grumbled, as his parents appeared in the doorway, with scolds for him to 'come here right now' and to 'just wait' till they got home. He didn't see them though, instead watched what the nurse did.

She took the vile from Sakura's needle and poured it into a cup, where, somewhat like fire, it danced and shook the cup, coming together sharply and then separating. After watching this happen for a minute, she slowly added the light blue substance she got from Sasuke. Everyone watched in awe as the darker color lightened a few shades, not as much as the light blue, and the two colors were swirling around, almost in a pattern, calm and relaxing.

"Wow Jodi, I've think you've cracked a big part of what's wrong with her." The doctor said. The families, both Haruno and Uchiha, were utterly confused as to what they were talking about.

"Jodi?" The doctor invited Sasuke's parents in, as Jodi began to speak.

"Sakura's charkra is attacking her, firstly is what's wrong with her. You could say it's infected, but that'd be putting it into terms too simple to be true. We're still not quite sure why her chakra is doing this, but it is. It's almost stale in a way. So, that's causing her to be in pain and this sick. The chakra attacks organs, slowly moving it's way around till it reaches the last few, which would be her vitals. Then we've seen, unfortunately, it attack the patients body all at once. Her's started at her appendix, so I'd guess her tonsils would come next. Sasuke's chakra however, seems to possess a calming nature that causes' her's to subside and not be so violent, hence why she's reacting so badly when we had him leave. He was taking away the pain, and furthering her life expectancy."

* * *

_And so from that day on, Sasuke and Sakura would spend hours together, growing closer and closer as friends, and her toughness towards the disease grew as well. The two did lots of things together, but favored only a few. Sakura watched musicals, and had even convinced Sasuke to sing them with her, and Sasuke got to practice his fighting skills and techniques for her. Day in and day out were filled with laughs and memories, bad days turning to good. _

_Then, they started at the Konoha Ninja Academy._

Sasuke walked in, saying hello to his instructor, Iruka. Kids were already beginning to fill the seats and he spotted two empty ones on the left side of the classroom, a few rows back. He walked to them, saying hello to a few students as he passed them, and ignoring the squeals of girls who thought he was hot. Sitting down, he unloaded his bag and put his supplies away, looking for someone interesting to talk to, when a blonde girl dropped down next to him.

"Hi! I'm Ino Yamanaka, mind if I sit here?" She chirped.

"My name's Sasuke, and I kind of do. Someone is already there." He said. "But I think that seat is free." He said, pointing out to the one above it.

"I don't see anyone's stuff here." Ino said.

"She's not here yet Ino." He said, before his eyes were covered with two small hands.

"Sasuke-kun save me I'm dying!" She joked, as Sasuke didn't move an inch.

"Poor Sakura. Six feet under at only 7 years old." Sasuke spoke, showing no emotion whatsoever.

"Sasuke I hate you, what if I were really dying?" Sakura said, intending to be a joke, before the realization crossed both their faces. _She was actually dying._

Sasuke pulled her to his lap, and rested his chin on her shoulder.

"Ino, this is Sakura. Sakura, Ino. Ino, Sakura's going to sit there." He said.

"But I was here first!" Ino whined.

"But I have to!" Sakura retorted.

"First come, first serve sweetie!"

"Too bad Sasuke-kun saved me a seat!"

"Not allowed!"

"Well too bad! I'm sitting there!"

"I wanna sit next to Sasuke though!" Ino whined, as more girls joined in, all whining to sit next to Sasuke.

"Guys! Sakura has to sit next to me! It's for reasons!" Sasuke said. as most of the girls left and the remaining ones took seats around him. Once everyone was settled, Iruka began the class. After the morning lecture, telling them what they'd learn, what'd they'd be expected of, introductions and all that, they were freed to lunch. Sasuke walked with Sakura, as girls tried to strike up conversations with him. Some he carried for a few minutes and others he shot down right away.

"Sasuke I'll be back! Get me an extra muffin." Sakura chirped, walking away towards the bathroom. She locked herself in a stall and leaned against the wall, taking a few deep breaths. This morning had been rough, and one of her biggest fears was what would happen if people questioned her.

She didn't want to think about it. Wiping her eyes, not that she actually was crying, just a little shaken up by negative thoughts, she took one final deep breath and marched out to the Cafeteria and found Sasuke, who, had not gotten her an extra muffin.

"Uchiha-san, where is my muffin." She protested, dropping down next to him. A group of females watched their every move and listened to every word.

"Haruno-chan, I did not get you an extra muffin." He said matter-of-factly. "Because I did not want to."

"I hate you. What kind of muffin is it?"

"Chocolate chip." Sasuke said, biting an apple. The two continued to converse about the stupidest and randomest things, when Ino dropped in front of them again.

"So, are you two dating or something? Cause like, you're really young." She said. Sakura stopped speaking mid-sentence.

"No, we aren't! We're friends." She said. "And besides, I don't wanna date yet."

"But _Sakuraaaaaaaaaaaa_ I was about to ask you to be my girlfriend!" Sasuke whined, obviously joking.

"Hmm ask me again in 8 years!" She winked, before they both fell into fits of laughter. After their half-hour lunch period, they were all let into the courtyard for free time, to which Sasuke was followed by more and more girls.

"Sasuke, I'm gonna climb to the top of that tree, watch!" Sakura announced, running over to a large oak tree. Gripping it, she began to climb as Sasuke, and the females of her class, watched on.

"Be careful Sakura!" Sasuke shouted. She didn't look back, she'd fall. Instead she just focused on moving. _Hand, hand, foot, foot. _

"I will be Sasuke!" She called, as she made it to the first branch, sitting for a minute. She waved to the kids below, most of whom were playing with each other. About 15 people aside from Sasuke were watching her, and she recognized one of them as Ino. Standing, she reached up and grabbed onto the branch above her, as a sharp stabbing pain shot through her hip. She fell from the tree, trying not to scream.

Plummeting down, she closed her eyes and felt the sharp wind she was creating slice past her face, whipping her pink hair all over, and freezing her. As she fell, she tried to focus more on the cold air then the continuous stabbing sensation that was in her hip, and growing in her throat. _My tonsils! _She silently yelled. She knew they'd be attacked at one point, but they'd never been before now. Her hand reached up to grasp her throat, silently begging for the choking to go away.

Then, it did. Sasuke had her in his arms, having caught her from her drop. Sitting down beside her, she lay her head in his lap as he took her hand, and with his free hand held onto her hip. It was the right, and she could feel her negative chakra calming.

"Sakura, what happened? When did it hurt?" She shook her head, too scared to speak yet. "Sakura? Why aren't you talking?" He asked, wiping away a stray tear. She put her hand to her throat, and pretended to choke herself to tell him.

"It moved?" He asked, in shock. She nodded, but then shook her head. Sitting up, she pointed that it was in both her hip and her throat.

"Was it bothering you before? Even a little bit?" She shook her head. "Any build-up?" Again, she shook her head.

"Try making a sound. Say aaaaaaa." He said. "You're alright now, it wouldn't harm your speaking." He told her.

"Aaaahh…" She quietly said. When it didn't hurt, she felt comfortable enough to speak.

"It came on all of a sudden, and it hurt really badly. When I fell is when it moved to my throat. It felt like i was being choked by a flaming rope. Except on the inside." She said.

He stayed with her the rest of the day, always making sure to have at least on hand on her. Scared for her health, he went home with her that night.

He arrived home hours later.


	2. Chapter 2

Sasuke entered the Uchiha district, and walked to his home. As he stepped inside and removed his shoes, he could faintly hear, down the hall, his Nii-san and father arguing over something.

"_Itachi! You are a part of this family! Don't you have any respect?" _

_"I'm well aware of that! But if-"_

_"No buts. Now, I'm done speaking. Get out of my sight." _

Sasuke didn't move, instead he stood there, much like a lost puppy, and wondered what the males in his family were talking about.

"Sasuke! Where have you been?" His mother snapped at him, not seeming worried but more angry.

"Sorry Mother, Sakura got bad again. I was making sure she was okay." His mother pursed her lips. That girl was taking up all of his time and he was growing up way too fast. Hell, he was an 8 year old child. He should be playing outside, running around, being mischievous.

Yet here he was, taking care of a girl who shouldn't even be trying to get her headband.

It's not like she'd even put it to good use, she'd be dead before her 18th birthday anyway.

"Sasuke, I know Sakura is your friend, but why don't you make other friends?" Mikoto offered.

"Today was just the first day Mother. Besides, sensei said we'd have plenty of time to interact and work with our classmates."

"Well yes I know that part. But don't you ever want to play outside? Maybe with a friend who's a boy?"

"I do play outside. And I play with Nii-san a lot. He's a boy."

"I know that too, Sasuke. I'm saying, Itachi is getting more and more missions and you're going to start getting homework. There won't be as much time for you two to play, unless you end up on the same mission and have to work together. And wouldn't it be nice to have a friend your own age? Someone to make memories with and learn and go through new experiences?"

"Yeah, I agree Mom. But I've got lots of memories with Sakura. And I know I'll get more, and I'll make friends. Besides, isn't it better to know someone rather than no-one? Lots of people weren't talking today." He said, walking up the stairs. Mikoto sighed.

"I just don't want you to get to attached, Sasuke."

"Attached?" What do you mean?"

"To Sakura. You know full well she's not going to live very long. I don't want you to-"

Sasuke clenched the banister. "She will if I've got anything to say about it." And stormed to his room, slamming the door shut. After a few minutes, Itachi knocked on the door, asking his irritated little brother for entrance.

"Not if you're going to agree with Mother." Sasuke pouted. Itachi walked in anyway.

"I have food though." He said, setting a plate of refrigerated fried chicken down and opening two cans of dr pepper. He handed one of the cans to Sasuke.

"So. Why are you so mad at Mother? She only has your best interest at heart." Itachi began.

"If she only had my best interest then she wouldn't be yelling at me for being Sakura's friend."

"No, it's not that she's mad at you for being her friend. You've got to keep in mind, you're still a little kid. You're not even 8 years old, and you're really mature." Itachi told him.

"But isn't being mature a good thing?" Sasuke asked.

"Well, yes it's better than being an immature brat, but you're 7. Mother just wants you to enjoy your time as a kid, before you become a ninja and have to take on countless responsibilities. Plus, you know Sakura isn't going to live very long. The disease is still confusing to her doctors, but they do know your chakra can't stop it entirely."

"But I can stop it a lot!" Sasuke whined.

"Sasuke, the doctors don't think she'll make it past 18 years old. Mother, Father, and honestly me as well, we don't want to see you lose someone you care about. Especially so young. It's not right, Sasuke."

"But I can take care of her!"

"I know that Sasuke, and you do a great job making her feel better. Be proud of that. All I'm saying is that we're worried. What if something were to happen, she were to have an attack and you couldn't get there in time? Sasuke- she's on the brink of death at any point."

"W-what do you mean?" Sasuke asked, having to face the harsh reality.

"Sasuke, when you met her, that was the first time she'd had an attack. She was on life-support. She'd nearly died a few days earlier. We don't want you to get too close then lose her." Itachi said. Sasuke looked at the ground, blinking a few times.

"But she- she's going to be okay." Sasuke told himself. Itachi didn't say anything. He realized his baby brother had convinced himself over the years that his friend was fine, that there was nothing to worry about.

"I'll um, I'll call you for dinner Sasuke."

"I'm not coming." Sasuke said, handing his brother the uneaten chicken and half empty can. Itachi took them, and Sasuke lay on his side, trying to process this new, or well, sort of new, information.

The next day Sasuke hugged Sakura as soon as he saw her.

"Sasuke? What's wrong?" Sakura asked, pulling away.

"You're my friend. Are you okay?" Sasuke asked, not wanting to make the mood sad.

"Yeah I'm fine."

Their schooldays went by, Sakura's attacks occurring less and less often, and seemingly less and less severe. Until one day.

Sasuke had gone home the night before. His family, his loved ones, everyone he grew up to know and cherish. _**Dead.** _ You'd be fooling yourself if you thought it hadn't changed him.

The boy who once chatted and smiled throughout his day now sat in his seat, not uttering a word. His face told people he was not in the mood for anything they might want, and his eye held something darker than they used to.

Sakura walked in late the day after Sasuke's discovery. She went up and took her seat next to him, becoming aware of his coldness promptly.

"Sasuke…" She said. He ignored her. "What, what happened?" Again, he didn't speak. Instead, he wrote down notes for their final examination to graduate.

It wasn't until their gym period Sasuke acknowledged her. Sakura was being tested on her stamina, as she climbed a 25-foot rope attached to the ceiling.

3/4th of the way up, her side twinged and her throat burned. She felt warm liquid, blood, dripping. She looked down to her side, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. With her last bit of strength she yelled for Sasuke, before she collapsed, falling towards the ground.

Sasuke caught her, as he did every time she was not in a safe place and fell, and sat them down together.

He carried her over to one side of the gym and plopped down on the wall, before pulling her into a tight embrace. She felt his tears on her shirt, and heard his quiet gasps.

"Sasuke-kun." She said, her throat still on fire. He shushed her, his hand going over her hip. They stayed there for the duration of the gym class, not entirely because Sakura couldn't walk.

Sasuke didn't feel like he could move, either.

When the entire gym had been cleared, Sakura spoke again.

"What happened Sasuke? You're acting really weird today."

"H-he killed them. Just to see if he could." Sasuke choked on his words. He knew Sakura was confused, so he tried to continue. "Itachi. He, he killed my clan. All of them." Sasuke said, as more tears silently rolled down his face. "I want, no, I need revenge." Sakura stayed quiet, brushing his face from another tear.

"Sasuke that's, I'm…wow. I don't know what to say." She said, and instead hugged him.

"Don't leave me Sakura. Please." He begged, before the bell rang for their dismissal.

Sakura never mentioned the Uchiha clan to Sasuke again, never mentioned his parents, never mentioned Itachi, hell, she'd never enter the Uchiha district unless accompanied by him. Sasuke needed his space, time to mourn. He still valued their bond, she knew. He still cared about her and made sure she was alright. But to others, the other kids he chatted with. He cut them off completely. Over the months him and Ino had chatted more and more, him and the boys in his class. Especially this one kid, Kiba, he cut them all of completely.

Except for her. He thought she'd be the only one her could come close to understanding. She knew she could never understand what he must've felt. Yet she was there for him, as he'd been for her.

Sasuke spent extra time to make sure she was safe. She knew it was because he didn't want to lose anyone else he cared about, and she made sure she was totally honest about her condition. Sasuke would not leave her side unless she said she was feeling 100%, and then sometimes she'd have to tell him to leave.

Fear does that to a person. So does anger. She knew he was dealing with both.

* * *

_Team Seven_

Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto, and their sensei, Kakashi, were all out on a mission. Sakura was happy, she hadn't been burdened with an attack in 15 months. Sasuke was Sasuke, grouchy, moody, seemingly emo. And Naruto was Naruto. Loud, obnoxious, always picking a fight.

What a pack they were.

The four of them were to deliver a message to the Sand village. Kakashi presumed it was about the chunin examinations, as they were just around the corner. So the four had set out on the three day journey, and it'd only taken Naruto 16 hours of travel to start complaining.

"Kakashi-sensei how far is this place?" He whined, the hot sun burning all their faces.

"Naruto Lord Hokage already told us it's 3 days!" Sakura said. "We haven't even been gone that long."

"Actually Sakura, it's been over 10 hours. I say we set up camp." Kakashi said. "Naruto, Sakura, you set up the tents and start a fire. Sasuke and I will find some food. I think there's a river a ways back."

The four split ways.

"Sakura do you know how to pitch a tent?" Naruto asked, pulling the cloth and sticks out of a bag.

"No. But it can't be that hard, can it?" Sakura said. "Wait- which side is the top?" She said as they twisted and fumbled with the flat wrinkly tent.

Sasuke and Kakashi were quick to get some fish and return. Naruto and Sakura hadn't made any progress on the tents, or fire.

"Seriously guys? You can't pitch a tent? Why didn't you start the fire if you were having trouble!" Kakashi groaned, picking up the balled up green fabric.

"Because that would've made sense." Sasuke answered.

However, 10 minutes later they were all sitting around a campfire, Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi joking about. Sasuke was being his usual moody self.

"Come on Sasuke! Lighten uppp…..!" Naruto shoved his friend on the side playfully.

"Hn."

"Don't you know Naruto? Sasuke's _always _been a buzzkill!" Sakura laughed. "His only redeeming social quality is he's a fucking amazing singer. Like. Should-be-on-stage-in-front-of-hundreds-and-thousands-of-people good."

"You sing Sasuke?" Kakashi asked what him and Naruto were thinking.

"No."

"Sakura-chan just said-"

"She said I _could _sing. Not that I _do _sing." He pointed out. He'd have to make Sakura pay for telling them that. Singing was not something he did. She knew he only did it for her, when she was having a bad attack.

"Sing something!" Naruto exclaimed.

"How about no." Sasuke said.

"I'd like to hear it Sasuke." Kakashi said.

"Still no." _Please don't ask Sakura. Don't make me say no._

"Please Sasuke-kun! You know it's amazing!" Sakura whined.

"Does no mean anything to you people?"

The 3 shared a collective _ugh _before somewhat letting him off the hook. They did however, question him about this 'hobby'.

"What kinds of things do you sing?" Naruto asked.

"I don't sing."

"Sasukeeeeeeeeee. I know you do."

"When have you heard me ever sing?"

"Well, I haven't, but-"

"No buts. I don't sing."

"Sasuke why would Sakura lie about you singing? Isn't it a random thing to lie about?" Kakashi pointed out.

"Well, yes. But she's Sakura."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sakura snapped. "I will make you sing Uchiha. Just watch me." She threatened.

"Nah." Sasuke said.

"Why won't you? Answer that." Naruto said.

"Because I don't want to. And even if I did, I don't have anything to actually, you know, sing."

Yet another collective _ugh. _Sasuke got up and walked to his tent.

"Wake me up when we have to leave."


	3. Chapter 3

The rest of squad seven sighed at Sasuke, yet left him to go. The three decided soon after to turn in for the night, as they'd need to wake up early the next morning. Sakura crawled into her tent, and flicked out the candle that lit the small space. Darkness quickly enveloped her, and she cozied down into her sleeping bag.

Sasuke lay flat on his back, one leg propped up, arms bent behind his head, deep in thought. He was worried. And irritated Sakura told them about the whole singing thing. He'd let it slide though, only because he had the sneaking suspicion she'd have an attack soon.

Hey, it had been over a year since her last one. It was long since due to make a return. Sasuke shifted in his sleeping bag, lost in thought. Sleep was not coming easily to him. _How can I get stronger?_ He wondered. He had to get his revenge. It was one of his main priorities. That and keeping Sakura safe. Well, that was second nature to him. He could see an attack come on before she had time to say anything.

Sasuke shut his eyes. He would need to be well-rested for the trek tomorrow.

However, well-rested was not what he got.

His mind filled with nightmares, Itachi using Sakura's illness to kill her, Itachi killing him, Sakura dying right in his arms, him being _powerless to do anything._

He woke up in cold sweats, shaking and having trouble breathing. It was still dark out. He slipped out of his tent, and walked the 5 feet to Sakura's, peeking in.

She was curled up in a ball, sound asleep. Her usual pale face was a dusted with a light blush, he presumed it was from her dream.

"Are you okay?" He breathed, not even sure himself if the words made it past his lips. He pressed them together. Hard and chapped, like usual. Keeping an eye on her to make certain she was alright, his hand went to his mouth, rubbing his finger across his lower lip. A habit he'd had since he was little, he dropped his hand when his mouth felt smoother.

He felt a presence behind him. He jumped, then turned around ready to fight.

It was only Kakashi. He'd dropped from a tree above.

"Is there any reason you are creeping on your female teammate Sasuke?" He asked. "Because, I would be happy to explain to you-"

"No it has nothing to do with that Kakashi!" He snapped, glaring.

"Hmm? Then explain the lips, Sasuke." He said. Sasuke glared harder, if that were even possible.

"It is a habit." He said slowly, through gritted teeth.

"Ok." Kakashi said, knowing not to press. "So, why are you creeping on her again?"

"It's too long a story for this late at night." Sasuke said, walking back to his tent. Sakura was fine, Kakashi was irritating, and he needed sleep. The next morning came too quickly for the boy, as it felt as soon as he closed his eyes, water was being thrown on him by his all-too-cheerful teammates.

"Uppity-up-up time, Teme!" Naruto said, his face bright and grin huge. Sakura stood behind him, crossing her eyes and sticking her tongue out.

"Wake up Dork!" She chirped, dragging Naruto out of the tent. She walked over to Kakashi, wishing him a good morning. Sasuke groaned, and sat himself up.

"Sasuke, you look like crap." Naruto said. "Didn't you sleep?"

"I slept fine." He lied. His eyelids were heavy and all his muscles felt as if they were made of iron. He took a deep breath. "Just not a morning person."

"As if that weren't obvious enough." Sasuke shot Naruto daggers. Naruto yelped at the glare, leaving his tent. He resisted the urge to fall to his back, and forced himself out of the tent.

"Whoa, Naruto was right. You do look crappy." Sakura commented, packing her tent into a bag.

"I haven't been up 3 minutes, can everyone shut the fuck up? Thanks." Sasuke said, kicking his tent down. Yes, kicking. With his foot.

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed…" Naruto muttered, not towards anything.

"You wanna be able to wake up again?" Sasuke threatened. Naruto didn't say anything. "Good."

The foursome began the walk towards the sand, jumping from tree branch to tree branch. After a few hours of quiet, Sakura spoke up.

"Why don't we just walk? Like, what if you fall?" Sakura asked.

"Well, then hopefully your teammate would catch you. And, it's quicker than walking. And running wears out your stamina faster." Kakashi answered."Along with a bunch of other pros I can't be bothered to get into."

"Oh, ok that makes sen-nyeeaahhh!" She said, falling. She clutched her side, landing on her knees before falling to her side. Sasuke dropped down in an instant.

"Sakura!" He said, picking her up. She squeezed her eyes shut, crinkling her nose in the process. She mouthed his name, he knew she couldn't speak. He sat her down against a tree, and rested his hand on her abdomen. Naruto and Kakashi came down seconds after Sasuke.

"Teme! What's going on? Sakura-chan? Sasuke what did you do!" Naruto went on and on, asking questions about this and that. Sakura shook, unable to stop.

"Does it hurt anywhere else?" Sasuke asked, not paying attention to the boy demanding answers. She shook her head, and wrapped her arms around herself, mouthing 'cold'.

"You're cold?" She nodded. He took her bag from her, and took out her fleece coat. Her eyes light up and the sight of it, leaning forward as much as she could to allow him to wrap it around her. Once done, she collapsed against the bark again.

"Sasuke! Answer me!"

"Shut up Naruto, I'm focusing." Sasuke said. He then looked at her, pursing his lips. "Um. Why didn't you say anything before you fell?" Sakura smiled awkwardly, gritting her teeth.

"Um." She softly spoke, still nervous to use her voice. "The mission." She said. "Stalling."

Sasuke let his head fall back in irritation.

"So, instead of saying your hip hurt you decided to move and do shit so you wouldn't postpone the mission." Sasuke groaned, raising an eyebrow at her. She nodded, smiling.

"You fucking idiot, it would've been a lot faster if you'd said something earlier!" Sakura kicked him in the side. "Ow. Stop that." She stuck out her tongue, before sitting up.

"Are you alright now?" Sasuke asked, seeing her move. She shook her hand. "Throat hurts."

"Where?" She got up, Sasuke following. She gestured to the side of her throat, where her glands were. Sasuke brushed his thumb over the area, concentrating his chakra. Sakura sighed, then smiled.

"Ok I'm good." Sasuke smacked himself in the forehead.

"You are a piece of work, Sakura."

"Hey, at least I didn't start bleeding!"

"I may have had to leave you." They both laughed, Kakashi and Naruto looking at them like they were crazy.

"You'd never leave me!" She exclaimed. Sasuke rolled her eyes at her.

"So, care to explain what's going on here..?" Kakashi inquired.

"Hmm, long story. I'll explain while we're walking." She said, getting up. The foursome walked along, as Naruto again asked what was up with them.

"Oh, well, y'see when I was really little, I think I was like 5-"

"Sakura you were like 2 and you couldn't or wouldn't even talk yet are you going to tell this story properly or not?" Sasuke interrupted. Sakura glared.

"Okay, mister 'I-know-everything'. I was 3, and it was super late at night and then my side started to hurt like really badly so I went to the hospital and I was bleeding a lot and the doctors said I wasn't gonna live and my parents were freaking out and then I was on this weird life support thingy. Then Sasuke, like the intrusive, boundary-less little shit that he is-"

"I'm going to remember that." Sasuke interrupted.

"Interrupting little shit that he is," She corrected herself. "Came in and was all what's wrong with her and then the doctors were all like get out small child and he didn't and he got onto the bed and then they discovered Sasuke's chakra chill's mine out and yeah so that's what was happening." She said.

_Does she not know about the life thing? _Sasuke wondered. He wouldn't mention it.

"You forgot to mention that you're Chakra tends to lose it's shit every now and again." Sasuke said. Sakura rolled her eyes, as they approached the gate.

"Anyway, that led to a lot of time spent together. Like, a lot-a lot." Sakura said.

"And most of that time she made me do girly-shit because 'Sasuke-kun I'm sick and you're supposed to be taking care of me blah-blah-blah' Sasuke mocked. Sakura glared.

"Whoa, Sakura are you gonna be okay?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah I'll be fine! Don't worry about it, as long as Sasuke's here I'm fine!" She said as they reached their destination. Their mission was a success and they headed back, Sakura and Naruto chatting idly whilst Sasuke stayed quiet for the 3 days it took.


End file.
